He Who Cares The Most
by tweety-src-clt9
Summary: Hermione wakes up on her birthday with period pains. She reflects on her love-hate relationship with the monthly curse that plagues every woman... The same curse that eventually led to her Happily Ever After. ONESHOT


A/N: Written for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments) Forum as a response to the First Aid theme prompts:

Task Six, pain relief pills: Write about someone suffering.

Also inspired by the word prompt, "Care", for the Hermione's Nook Facebook Group as part of the A03 Happy Birthday Hermione Collection. The challenge has a word count limit that shall not exceed 1000 words.

* * *

**He Who Cares the Most**

By: tweety-src-clt9

A bushy-haired brunette woke up from her peaceful slumber because of a lingering ache in her abdomen. _Great! It's my bloody birthday and I got stomach cramps because of this stupid curse that plagues women every month… _

Hermione always had the worst period pains for as long as she could remember.

During her second year at Hogwarts, when she first got her period, she skipped Transfiguration because she had to see Madam Pomfrey. Back then, she was just so desperate to find any sort of relief.

Yes. Period pains are a huge pain in the arse for women all over the world.

However, Hermione always had a love – hate relationship with them.

Because her period pains opened her eyes to see the man who's always cared for her the most. From the very beginning, no other man cared more for Hermione Granger than her husband.

She slowly turned to her side to watch her sleeping husband lightly snoring under the sheets. She smiled as the memories keep flooding in…

* * *

"_Hermione, I didn't see you in Transfiguration. Are you alright?", Harry asked as he sat beside her on the couch. After getting a pain-relief potion, she was too tired to go to the Great Hall for lunch. So, she decided to rest in the common room instead._

"_I'm fine Harry", she clutched her abdomen. It seems that pain relief potions are not enough to lessen her discomfort. _

"_No, you're not. You even skipped lunch. Here, I brought you a sandwich", he handed her the food wrapped in a napkin. _

"_Thanks" _

"_Is there something I could do to help? What's wrong with you anyway?", Harry, who is ever clueless yet so caring, had a worried look on his face._

"_It's girl problems", she winced._

"_Oh… Can I try something?", he mused. She gave him a curious look. _

"_Hold out your hand", he ordered, so she relented. _

_Harry started pressing on her palms. He was massaging certain points on her hand. It reminded her of reflexology. _

_To her surprise, she could actually feel her period pains gradually lessen._

"_Where did you learn this Harry?"_

"_Oh. Er, my Aunt Petunia forced me to learn massages and stuff. I do this for her when she gets, er, well, girl problems", he was blushing as his hands continued to work their magic. _

"_Thank you, Harry", she gave him a warm smile. _

"_You know I care about you, right?", he said with a lopsided grin._

* * *

That's how it started. Harry always gave her hand massages to help lessen her period pains. During their fourth year, he discovered a spell that warms a person's hands. One day, he decided to try it on her…

* * *

"_Hermione? Oh. That time of the month again", he muttered. They were at the library doing research for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. She is now clutching her stomach in pain._

"_Lift your shirt up, I want to try something", his determined voice startled her._

"_What?!"_

"_Just do it", he insisted. Since she trusted him, she acquiesced. He was flipping the pages of a large tome before pointing his wand to both his hands. When they glowed, he carefully placed his palms against her exposed skin. His hands felt warm… It's even better than his hand massages._

"_Better?", his eyes were staring intently at her to check if his newly discovered treatment is effective._

"_Yes", she whispered._

"_Good. Er, I don't know how long I should keep this up. So… just say stop when you feel better", he blabbered. _

"_Thanks, Harry", she gave him a shy smile._

* * *

Harry Potter, her best friend and husband, always cared for her. It was him who remembered her when there was a Mountain Troll during their first year. It was him who constantly visited her at the Hospital Wing when she got petrified. He always respected her. He listened to her. He's always shown how much he loves her in the little things he does…

Their eighth year at Hogwarts, after the war, that was when they finally got together. Still, it all started during the times he comforted her from period pains…

* * *

"_Mione, you ready for rounds?", the Head Boy inquired as he walked down the stairs. They were in the private common room for the head students._

"_Harry, I don't feel so good", she confessed. _

"_Oh, Mione! What's wrong?", he ran towards her. He was kneeling by the couch she was lounging on. His eyes filled with worry. _

"_Girl problems again", she winced._

"_Let me do the warming spell and I'll massage your tummy. How's that sound? And if you still aren't feeling better after that, well, we could always skip rounds", he said with a grin. _

"_Harry, you can't do that!"_

"_Of course, I can. You're more important than stupid head duties", he rolled his eyes. She always suspected that he only agreed to be Head Boy because of her. _

_She lifted her shirt and he began to work his magic…_

_When the pain is somehow tolerable, she smiled at him. _

"_Harry?"_

"_Hmmm?"_

"_Thank you", she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek but he turned his head at the same time. And so, her lips landed on his lips instead. _

"_I – er – I – oh my – I am so –", she could feel herself hyperventilate from embarrassment._

"_Come to Hogsmeade with me. On a date", he said with determination. Since she was still too embarrassed, she only nodded._

* * *

And that's how Hermione Granger ended up dating and eventually marrying, Harry Potter.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart", her husband greeted sleepily.

"Oh. I know that face. Girl problems again", he lifted her night gown and placed a comforting kiss on her abdomen. That is his latest pain-relieving technique which he discovered when they started dating…

She had a bright smile on her face despite the pain…

She is the luckiest woman in the world because she had Harry Potter…

He Who Cares the Most.

**THE END**


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